Negative pressure wound therapy is one method that is used to treat certain wounds or sores on people. In general the treatment includes, a bandage being placed over a wound site, and connected to a pumping device. The pumping device provides suction, creating a negative pressure under the bandage at the wound site. Exudates and other materials are removed from the wound site, allowing the wound to heal faster than under ambient pressure.
The pumping device includes, amongst other things, a pump. Typically, a user selects (or otherwise enters) an appropriate therapeutic pressure on the pumping device that correlates to the specific negative pressure treatment for that patient. It is important that the pump and pumping device achieve the therapeutic pressure that is to be used in association with the negative pressure wound therapy quickly and correctly.
The speed at which the pump can achieve the therapeutic pressure is important because the speed can detrimentally effect the treatment. Moreover, the ability for the pump to recognize that the therapeutic pressure has been achieved is important to avoid applying too little or too much negative pressure. Thus, for a pump device, the speed and the accuracy at which it obtains the therapeutic pressure is an important characteristic.
In order to accurately and quickly achieve the therapeutic pressure, some pumps are left on continuously. In some devices this can be problematic. For example, some pumps can quickly achieve the therapeutic pressure; however, the pump and system tends to overshoot the therapeutic pressure value. This requires additional valves and other components that allow the pumping device to release negative pressure until the appropriate negative pressure is obtained.
Moreover, leaving the pump on continuously can act as a power drain, and for pumping devices that operate on batteries or other portable power sources, this can negatively impact the life time of the power source.
The present invention is directed to resolving these and other matters.